BMD is Australia’s leading integrated engineering, construction and urban development business, with foundations built on the family values that underpin our unique, collaborative approach. Driven by a purpose of powering futures and creating enduring legacies through a commitment to collaboration, BMD is delivering infrastructure solutions that connect and transform communities. With a proud history beginning in 1979, BMD now employs 2,400 people throughout Australia, the Philippines and United Kingdom.

 

 

We’re looking for a Senior Legal Counsel with strong front-end construction law experience to join our in-house legal team. This is an opportunity for an experienced construction lawyer to work on projects across a range of sectors and directly support project, commercial and operational teams across BMD. The role has a strong focus on construction and infrastructure contracting, from tender and contract reviews/negotiation through to project delivery, claims and dispute resolution. We are particularly interested in lawyers who have worked in-house for a civil contractor, builder or major infrastructure business, or who have developed strong front-end construction expertise in private practice advising contractors and infrastructure clients.

You’ll need to be commercially minded and comfortable getting close to the project teams. We’re looking for someone who can quickly identify the legal issues, understand the delivery and commercial context in which they arise, and provide timely and commercially focused advice in a fast-paced environment to support the business in making informed decisions.

We’re also looking for someone who will fit culturally, that is approachable, collaborative, pragmatic, and commercially minded, who enjoys being part of the business, building strong relationships and is comfortable rolling up their sleeves to get things done across a number of legal matters with limited supervision.

 

Key Responsibilities:

• provide practical, commercially-focused legal advice to project, commercial, tender and operational teams
• review and negotiate construction contracts, including head contracts, Australian Standard forms, subcontracts, consultancy agreements and associated project documentation
• advise project teams on contractual risk, departures, tender positions and contract strategy from pre-contracts through to delivery
• review subcontractor, supplier and consultant departures and support appropriate flow-down of head contract obligations
• advise on claims, variations, payment matters and emerging contractual disputes
• provide advice on Security of Payment legislation, including payment claims, payment schedules and adjudication matters
• support the management and resolution of disputes through negotiation, adjudication, mediation and litigation
• prepare practical advice on contractual positions, risk, potential exposure and dispute strategy
• work with external counsel where specialist advice or additional support is required
• provide training to project and commercial teams on various topics, including contractual risk allocations and contract administration 
• provide legal support across the broader group of companies and a diverse range of business functions, including corporate and commercial matters, governance, compliance, WHS, insurance, employment and other operational matters. This is a broad in-house role that extends beyond construction and project delivery.

 

 The successful candidate will be a self-starter that possesses:

• a Bachelor of Laws or equivalent, admission as an Australian lawyer and a current practising certificate, or eligibility to hold one
• minimum six years post-admission experience in construction
• strong experience reviewing, drafting and negotiating construction contracts
• experience with Australian Standard contracts, ideally including AS 2124, AS 4000 and AS 4902, other standard forms of construction contracts ideally including GC21 and NEC4, together with bespoke construction contracts, subcontracts and consultancy agreements
• working knowledge of Security of Payment legislation generally across the Australian jurisdictions, construction disputes and dispute resolution processes
• strong drafting, negotiation and stakeholder-management capability
• sound commercial judgement and the ability to translate complex legal issues into clear, practical advice
• the ability to manage competing priorities, work effectively in a fast-paced environment, and provide timely advice with limited supervision
• a pragmatic, solutions-focused approach, with the confidence to balance legal risk against commercial and project delivery objectives
• the versatility and adaptability to work across a broad range of legal matters and business functions, including matters outside traditional construction and infrastructure law
• a collaborative, down-to-earth and easy-to-work with approach
• in-house experience with a civil infrastructure contractor, construction company or builder - Highly regarded 
• experience advising contractors or infrastructure clients from a recognised construction/infrastructure practice - Highly regarded

 

 

We recognise that we are strengthened by diversity, and we embrace differences as an equal opportunity employer providing a flexible and inclusive workplace.

 

We’re a purpose and values-led business guided by our values of family, empowered, collaborative and driven. For further details on what makes BMD unique, head to https://www.bmdgroup.global/careers